Microsoft brings AI-based shopping tool to Bing & Edge, aims to enhance online shopping experience

Generative AI, the word has been doing rounds for a while as every major tech company is competing against each other to implement generative AI in their respective services. Recently, Microsoft has unveiled a range of AI-powered shopping tools for its Bing search engine and AI-powered Bing chatbot into Edge’s sidebar.

These new features have generated excitement due to their potential usefulness. While previous shopping functionalities in Edge have received mixed reviews, this latest set of tools appears to address user needs more effectively.

AI-generated buying guide

One notable addition is Bing's utilisation of GPT-powered AI capabilities to automatically generate buying guides. For instance, if a user searches for "college supplies," Bing will aggregate products in relevant categories, present their specifications for easy comparison, and provide information on where to purchase them.

The tech giant will receive an affiliate fee when users make purchases through these recommendations. The introduction of such AI-generated buying guides may disrupt existing platforms focused on creating similar content. Microsoft has also introduced AI-generated review summaries, allowing users to inquire about a product's public sentiment and receive concise overviews of online reviews.

Additionally, It has launched Price Match, a tool designed to assist users in requesting price adjustments from retailers, even after a purchase has been made. Although the company has not disclosed its specific retail partners, it has collaborated with reputable U.S. retailers with existing price match policies and plans to expand its partnerships over time.

Enhancing the convenience and efficiency of shopping with AI tools

Furthermore, it is likely that other search engines, including Google, will follow suit, potentially reshaping the landscape of online shopping guides. The buying guides are currently available in the United States, while the worldwide rollout for Edge's buying guides has commenced.

While Google has also unveiled an AI-powered shopping tool for the US markets with features like Virtual try-on, which showcases how the cloth would drape, fold, stretch, and form wrinkles as well as and shadows on a diverse set of real models in different poses. These developments mark a significant step forward in the integration of AI-powered shopping tools, thereby enhancing the convenience and efficiency of the online shopping experience.

Moreover, these AI-powered shopping tools may lead to the elimination of low-quality, SEO-optimised shopping content, as Microsoft's new features gain traction and user adoption, it remains to be seen how other market players will respond and whether similar functionalities will be introduced by competitors.

To conclude, it must be noted that Microsoft's latest AI-powered shopping tools for Bing and Edge's chatbot offer promising capabilities such as generating buying guides, summarising reviews, and facilitating price match requests. These additions aim to enhance the shopping experience for users, while potentially disrupting existing platforms and reshaping the market.